With a grim expression, Yuna stomped to her school. Actually, she should be happy because today was the school festival. No regular classes required her attention. Even the day before all the lessons were canceled so that everything could be polished once more for today's festival. Yukiko had been present, but hadn't once tried to start a fight. She doubted it would last, but as long as Yukiko wouldn't provoke her, it was easier to keep the promise to Kimura-san.
A few hundred meters from the entrance, Rin Masatada joined her. "Hey, Yuna-chan."
"Morning, Rin-chan."
"Ready for the big day?" A shrug had to suffice as an answer to the vice-class speaker. "Were you able to sort things out with Aizawa?"
"Why do you ask?"
Rin adjusted her glasses. "Because she ignored you yesterday."
"Not really. Why are you interested in that?"
"As class speakers, I and Nisha should also settle conflicts among the students. Since Nisha is shy, I usually do these things."
"Hm. No idea. She leaves me alone. Maybe she was reprimanded by the principal."
"Maybe..." Rin raised an eyebrow and squinted at Yuna.
"Good morning, together." Nisha came running from behind and then kept pace with them. "I almost couldn't sleep from excitement."
Rin smiled. "I almost think that this is your first school festival."
"Um..."
Before Yuna could say anything, Rin continued, "I think it's good that you can still look forward to a school festival."
"Exactly." The cat girl smiled widely.
They entered the schoolyard, whereupon Yuna spotted the red-glowing eyes of Yukiko. To her displeasure, Hikari stood by her and they seemed to be talking. She snorted and looked away.
"Aizawa and Wada on our left," Rin whispered.
Yuna growled, "I've seen them." Nisha headed for the two. "What are you doing?"
The class representative peered over her shoulder. "We know them, so we should say good morning."
A choking noise came from the blue-haired girl. "You're just too good for this world." Reluctantly, she followed the other two until they arrived at their classmates.
"Good morning to you," Nisha greeted the others.
"Good morning," Hikari replied, while Yukiko must have discovered an extremely interesting spot somewhere on the facade.
"Good morning." Rin nodded to Hikari and then looked at Yukiko.
"Hey." Yuna stopped behind Nisha and looked at her best friend, who gave her a tentative smile.
"Are you looking forward to the school festival?" the class representative asked.
"If only we had a more exciting attraction than the cafe. Boring." Hikari chuckled and squinted at Yukiko, who was still studying the facade.
"You can start making plans for next year." Rin winked at her. "We'll see each other in the classroom before it starts." She and Nisha moved on. Yuna stood undecided for a moment and stared blankly at her best friend.
"Do you need anything else, Yuna-chan?" Hikari asked.
The two blue-haired girls looked at each other dismissively, then Yuna shook her head. "Nope. See you later." She followed her companions.
"Too bad that Kyoko is sick." Rin stroked her chin. She looked at the schedule on the table in front of her. "She would have served in the evening. Who takes over her shift?" No one volunteered, so Nisha cleared her throat. "Forget it. You are OC. You certainly don't do that," Rin said.
"But..."
"Aizawa hasn't got anything, right?" Gorou whispered.
"Shut up!" hissed Hikari.
Nisha and Rin turned their gazes on the blue-haired girl, who was leaning against a table at the very back. "She even has service experience." All eyes fell on Yuna, who had spoken.
"That suits us very well." Rin wrote on her plan. "Okay. We do it like this."
"Don't I have anything to say about that?" Yukiko called from behind.
A sugary smile appeared on Rin's face. "This is a great opportunity for you to become closer with your classmates."
"Pff... what ever."
"Was that a yes?" Yukiko gave her a disgusted look.
"Um... Masatada-san?" Nisha spoke softly.
"What?"
"Then she has the same shift as Yuna-chan." The class representative looked at her friend. "I don't think that's a good idea."
"If we change the plan again, everyone comes with their wishes. Now you have to show some hardship, Narusegawa-san." Nisha blinked uncertainly and grimaced. "But in the end, you're the boss."
"All right. You're right."
"So. From seven to nine o'clock you are in our cafe, Aizawa," Rin said. She earned another scowl from the back row. She squinted at Yuna, who also looked like someone had puked on her feet. "Every moment it starts. Enjoy the festival. And please don't miss your jobs. I don't feel like running after you." She looked at Nisha. "Do you want to say something else?"
"Have fun everybody."
The students began to scatter. Some left the classroom while others took positions behind the counter or prepared to receive the first guests at the door.
Yuna waited patiently until the room had emptied a bit. Her best friend turned to her. "Are we going to check the other rooms?"
"Are you sure you've asked the right girl with blue hair?"
Hikari rolled her eyes. "Come on. You're my best friend. I want to walk with you through the school and try some snacks."
The words really appeared to be sincere. Yuna smiled and nodded. "Gladly."
Rin and Nisha joined. "What are you going to do?" the spectacle wearer asked.
"We'll see. Eat something. Try a few games." Hikari pulled out her wallet. "Don't have that much money because my parents canceled my pocket money. Dicks."
"I'll invite you," Nisha said quickly.
"Nonsense. I am the millionaire here..."
"Billionaire," Hikari grinned.
Yuna rolled her eyes. "What ever. I'll take care of that." She looked at all three. "The first few rounds are on me."
"Well, then the three of you should get started," Rin suggested.
"What about you?"
She pointed to the counter. "One must hold the position and take care, so that everything runs here."
"I'll do it," Nisha beeped.
"Forget it. You three are heading off to have fun. You can replace me later, but I don't want to see you in this room until twelve o'clock." Rin turned to Yuna. "Please, make sure she gets some fun."
Hikari hurried forward. "Don't worry. I'll show them how to live." As if something had occurred to her, she squinted over her shoulder at Yukiko. "Maybe we should ask Yuki-chan too." Yuna almost lost her breath. Her best friend looked at the others again. "Since your fight, everyone else is shunning her."
"Serves her right," Yuna grumbled.
With the knowledge in mind that they would serve their shift together in the evening, Rin said, "That might not be so stupid. Yesterday, you left each other alone. You could keep working from that. Eventually you will get along with each other."
"Certainly not." Yuna crossed her arms over her chest.
Hikari bit her lower lip. "Well... otherwise I will spend time with her. I feel sorry for her when she's all alone."
"You know what? Ask her if she wants to join us." The confused look of the class representative didn't go unnoticed by Yuna, but she tried to smile.
"Sure?" Hikari asked.
"Yes. Come on."
"You are really great." The black-haired girl walked quickly to Yukiko.
There was loud mumbling at the counter. "I got to go then. Have a good time." Rin set off to find out what was going on there.
"Are you sure?" Nisha asked softly.
"When I have Yukiko in view, I don't have to worry about her lying in wait and trying something."
"True again."
"Are you totally stupid? I'd rather hang myself than hang out with her," the voice of the ice oni boomed over. "I don't need your pity, Hikari." She pushed away from the table and past Hikari. She gave Yuna and Nisha a dismissive look before she left the classroom.
Hikari came slowly over. "Then it's just us."
"Like in the old days," joked Yuna, whereupon the face of her best friend brightened a bit.
Together they moved through the corridors and paid a visit to the different classes. Here and there, they strolled a little, or drank a tea and ate pastries. They chatted about everything, or laughed about the stupid costumes that a class wore in their robo-cafe.
Every now and then, they also met external visitors and greeted them in a friendly way. Outside on the school grounds, there were various game attractions to try out and treats from the grill.
Hikari almost missed her shift in the cafe, but Nisha reminded her in time. To make sure that she wouldn't get stuck somewhere, the class representative escorted her back into the classroom. Yuna sat down on a bench and watched the people a bit.
For a moment, she imagined what kind of disaster would break out if an oni beast showed up at school. She wondered how the oni managed to let so few incidents become known.
In the midst of the people, she discovered a red-glowing pair of eyes. She wasn't sure if it was Yukiko, so Yuna rose from her seat and went to the spot.
"Oh... it's you."
The woman turned around. "Masuda-san. Nice to see you."
She racked her brain for the name of the oni. She had seen the woman with the animalistic features at Yoshiro's funeral. She had condoled to her and thanked her. "I'm sorry. I forgot your name."
"Sayuri Futa, Masuda-san."
"Futa-san, exactly. What are you doing here?" Yuna wondered.
"Enjoying the school festival, of course." She let her eyes wander over the people. "I love such events. The food, the games, the children."
"I understand."
"I didn't find any Taiyaki with chocolate, so I brought you one with vanilla," said a student approaching with a Taiyaki in his hand.
"Thank you, Renji-kun." Sayuri took it from him, smiling. "May I introduce you to someone?" She pointed to Yuna. "That's Yuna Masuda. Masuda-san, this is my son Renji Futa."
First the blue-haired gawked, then blinked a few times. "Um... very pleased." She bowed politely.
"Likewise. Did Sayuri annoy you, Masuda-san?"
"Renji!"
"I'm just kidding." He studied the high-school student. "You're the girl who lost her family, right?"
"Her uncle," Sayuri corrected.
Embarrassed, Yuna smiled. "Honestly, both are true." They stared at her in disbelief. "First my family, then my uncle."
"I'm terribly sorry. I didn't know that." The oni bowed hastily. "I apologize a lot. And my heartfelt sympathy, Masuda-san."
"It's all right," she protested.
"I'm sorry too, Masuda-san."
"Thank you."
"Futa! It's your turn!" a boy called from a stand. Guilty, Renji looked at his mother.
"It's all right. Just go."
"Okay. See you later. Goodbye, Masuda-san."
"Goodbye." Yuna looked after the boy, then she turned to Sayuri. "You have a son?"
Wondering, the oni frowned. "Yes."
"Is he your biological son?!" The girl got quite excited at the thought.
Smirking, Sayuri answered, "Of course not. Oni can't have children. He was the son of my late husband."
"I understand."
"One moment... your eye!" Sayuri opened her mouth. "What is with your eye?"
Yuna awkwardly stroked her pony over her eye, but it didn't work. "Um..."
Sayuri stared into the left eye, then into the right. "I've never seen anything like it. Do you have a power?"
Slowly, Yuna nodded. "Yes."
"What are you?"
"I'd like to know too."
"That's why you were able to beat Tirr. Do you also harvest souls?" The way Sayuri's voice sounded made Yuna anxious. The reaction was too similar to that of Yukiko. The oni had said at the funeral that she had lost her husband to Tirr. And his soul.
"No. I'm a human."
Sayuri smiled. "Even if. With you, the soul of my husband would be in good hands."
"No. Certainly. I don't collect souls." The oni bit off a junk of her Taiyaki and chewed thoughtfully. The scent of vanilla rose in Yuna's nose. She absolutely had to get hold of such a Taiyaki.
"Well... I don't want to take your time anymore, Masuda-san. Enjoy the festival."
"Um... sure. Goodbye, Futa-san."
"Goodbye."
Yuna watched the oni as she moved on and devoted herself to other attractions. It just was not possible for her to collect souls. It was not allowed to be. She was a huntress, so it was her job to protect the humans from the oni. It just was not allowed to be. Under no circumstances.